Tribal Blazing Adventure in Kiamba, Sarangani (Phils)

Exactly 30 days from the day the Kiamba Municipal Tribal Council (KMTC) met for a Strategic Planning Workshop last May 12-13, 2014 to map out the tribal development plans, many Tiboli communities are now happy that they see their Kemna (dreams) coming true, through their own effort and they see hope ahead.

The Council conceptualized an idea of a Tiboli Blazing Adventure where tourists will experience not only the beauty of nature but will also learn more about the Tiboli culture and arts.

Tourist groups will be organized to visit Kiamba where they will be greeted at Lumuyon and experience Tiboli hospitality, have a sip of special homemade coffee and other local delicacies.

Refreshed, guests will visit Kiamba’s natural endowments like the Lumoyon Falls, Kawit, Bocay-il Twin waterfalls Nalus falls, and for the more adventurous, other beautiful waterfalls inside the mossy forest of Mt. Busa. It is said that there are a total of about nine (9) waterfalls in Kiamba, some of which have not been explored, the mystery waiting to be unraveled. Members of the tribe are preparing to be trained to become hosts and tourist guides.

For guests, the trip will be also be a learning adventure where they will have the opportunity to witness firsthand Tiboli artists at work like Awelando Samblang, a brass maker and Tiboli women making beadwork and weaving T’nalak, visit established tourist sites such as the School of Living Traditions founded by Lyn B. Lambago and the viewing decks of Falel and the Tuka Marine Sanctuary.

During the IP months, cultural shows and trade fairs are envisioned to be organized where T’boli products will be on display. Treks, tours and photo safaris are also planned. A T’boli museum is a dream of Dolores Agor for her people. She translated the vision statement from the native language to English.

“We are excited to showcase Kiamba as a paradise and which everyone can share and be proud. In the future, we will make our communities ready to house guests to experience genuine T’boli hospitality and culture. Guests will also have the opportunity to taste Tifaz from lefu' (local coconut wine) for them to remember the experience,” the women gushed.

“We are sure Sarangans abroad and locals will be interested to join the adventure, since we plan to showcase other tourist spots of Sarangani as well. Dreams are a foundation to reality. It will not happen tomorrow but it will."

“We have dreamed for our Tiboli children going to school and we are making it happen as a community. The same will hold true to make the T’boli Blazing Adventure come true,” Romeo Uhay,an officer of KMTC said in a phone nterview. “ Now that our kids are in school, we can now focus on our livelihood plans. “

“ Immediately after the strategic planning workshop, tribal communities were mobilized to start making chicken coops as their counterpart for a sustainable enterprise. Some coops already have chicken in them. More communities will complete their coops by next week and we see many poor families benefiting from this cooperative effort. Other communities were already organized for ornamental plant growing, vegetable gardening and tilapia growing. The communities are now being prepared to raise high value crops.

If we persist, we will surely get to where we want to be as a tribe,” an IP leader Julito Talawe said. The mark of a true leader is when that leader is able to mobilize people to attain a common good not for vested self interest," he said.

“We are raising egg-laying Tiboli chicken not fighting cocks,” members of the Tribal Council said in a jest. “ We want to inculcate on our children the value of hard work which is the only way for them to make an honorable and decent life for themselves. We want to include everyone who share our vision in this enterprise so that we will finally be free from the claws of extreme poverty. Now we realize we are rich and with hard work, patience and unity, dreams are within reach ,” they said.

Tourists watch as a community mobilizes itself to attain sustainable development. For them, chicken raising is a good way to start, as they dream about a Tiboli Blazing Adventure.

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